Love your Enemies (2)

Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment to love each another.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34-35).

Jesus and the other New Testament writers explained what this meant. I have described this teaching in One Another Stuff.

Jesus also commanded his followers to love their enemies, and gave specific teaching about what that meant, particularly in Matt 5 and Luke 6. This series of posts looks at that teaching, because loving an enemy is quite different from loving people who love us, although is not easy either.

All people who have not chosen to follow Jesus are our enemies. Some will be actively fighting against us. Other may be passively ignoring us. The command to love our enemies applies to both groups. The focus of love should be those living around us, and those we encounter as we go about life, but that does not mean we can avoid loving by hiding away from them.

(I guess a problem arises, because for many Christians, their main enemies are other Christians. That suggests that there is something seriously wrong in the body of Christ.)

Here are some more guidelines for followers of Jesus who choose to love their enemies.

If people hurt us, we must not lash out at them., but should continue to show grace towards them.

If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also (Luke 6:29; Matt 5:39).

This is demanding, but Jesus does not want his people to retaliate against those who harm them.

• We are to lend to everyone who is poor.

  Love your enemies… and lend to them without expecting to get anything back (Luke 6:35).

  If the poor person is a different race or religion, we must still lend to them when they are in trouble, not expecting any return. This is a good way to assist the poor. Even if they have stolen from us in the past, we must still be willing to lend to them again, if the Holy Spirit prompts us.

If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them (Luke 6:29).

• Followers of Jesus must be generous to their enemies when they ask them for help.

Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back (Luke 6:30).

• Followers of Jesus must be careful about how they speak about their enemies.

  Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven (Luke 6:37).

  When we speak out enemies, we must be careful not to condemn them. If we do that we give the spiritual powers of evil permission to attack them. We want our enemies to come to faith in Jesus, so we should not say anything that would give the spiritual powers of evil authority to attack them further. We must not engage in slander (2 Cor 12:20). When we do that, we give an opportunity to the powers of evil.

• Followers of Jesus must care for everyone they encounter who is hurt or suffering. The Good Samaritan did this. The injured mand was his enemy. He could have rejoiced that his enemy had got what he deserved, but he did not. He cared for the injured man in a dangerous situation (Luke 10:30-36). He paid for his care, and committed himself to paying any future costs.

  The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have’ (Luke 10:35).

  The Good Samaritan went beyond an initial act of kindness. He committed to paying for his enemy’s care.